The Arts at JMU

The Forbes Center in collaboration with WMRA radio presents an exciting new showcase celebrating five female singer-songwriters from the Shenandoah Valley! Experience a heartfelt evening hosted by Tina Owens from WMRA’s The Acoustic Café about the personal journeys singer-songwriters embark on when creating new works. More

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One of world’s most popular Irish folk bands, The High Kings specialize in energetic and insightful performances that showcase the incredible versatility and multi-instrumentalist skills of the quartet members who play 13 instruments between them. Expect an evening of “swashbuckling, old-country fun that leaves your heart dancing jigs.” (Broadway World) Note the change in venue. More

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On a mission to reclaim the immigrant soul of American Roots Music, American Patchwork Quartet (APQ) features Grammy-nominated vocalist Falu Shah, Grammy-winning guitarist/vocalist Clay Ross, three time Grammy-winning drummer Clarence Penn, and highly-acclaimed bassist Yasushi Nakamura. APQ reimagines timeless, centuries-old American folk songs that highlight America’s immigrant roots and strives to counter pervasive prejudices around the issues of race and immigration. More

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On a Midsummer’s night, four young lovers and an unsuspecting troupe of players find themselves wrapped in the dream-like arms of an enchanted forest where sprites lurk and fairies rule. It is easy to lose yourself in the enchanted woods of Shakespeare’s beloved tale exploring the magic of falling in love and the marvel of waking up from the sweetest of dreams. Features students from JMU’s School of Theatre and Dance. More

This laugh-out-loud love story is set to the music of the iconic 1980s’ all-female rock band The Go-Go’s, including the hit songs “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” and Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is a Place on Earth” and “Mad About You.” The musical comedy follows the escapades of a royal family on an outrageous journey to save their beloved kingdom from extinction. Features students from JMU’s School of Theatre and Dance and School of Music. Note that there is no Sunday matinee. More

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This groundbreaking “Broadway opera” is a 1940s’ tragic tale of life and love in the tenements of sweltering New York City. Weill’s masterpiece was written in 1946 and won the Tony Award for Best Original Score after premiering on Broadway in 1947. The breathtaking music moves from jazz to pops to Broadway-esque tunes to lush traditional arias, choruses, and orchestral interludes. Featuring lyrics by Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes, Street Scene is “a musical play of magnificence and glory.” (The New York Times) More

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JMU’s premier dance ensemble will perform choreography by guest artists from across the country and JMU dance faculty members, including artistic director Matt Pardo, Ryan Corriston and Shane O’Hara. More

Join JMU’s music ensembles for an inspired Christmas collage of holiday works for choirs and orchestra! Check back for programming updates. More

JMU piano faculty members perform on one, two, and even four Steinway grand pianos in this concert that includes popular operatic music from Bizet’s Carmen, Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and more! More

Inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, Steve Dorff is the master songwriter behind 400 legendary and iconic songs recorded by over 250 artists, including Kenny Roger’s “Through the Years,” Anne Murray’s “I Just Fall in Love Again,” and George Strait’s “I Cross My Heart.” Dorff performs some of his most beloved songs and shares the stories behind them in this entertaining evening! More

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Ballet Hispánico, America’s leading Latino dance organization, is known for highlighting the richness of the Latino culture through a fusion of classical, Latin and contemporary dance, all powered by theatricality, athleticism and passion. Celebrating 50 years, Ballet Hispánico is now led by Eduardo Vilaro, whose bold and compassionate programming reflects our changing social and cultural landscape. More

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Experience internationally-acclaimed Latinx pop artist Gina Chavez in concert! A 2020 Latin Grammy nominee for her album La Que Manda (The Woman in Charge), Chavez is a 12-time Austin Music Award  winner whose NPR Tiny Desk Concert boasts over 1.2 million views. Her passionate collection of songs traverse cumbia, indie folk, blues, and Latin pop. More

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The Amernet is one of today’s exceptional string quartets, praised by The New York Times for its “intelligence” and “immensely satisfying” playing of new music and commissions as well as neglected works of the past. Currently the ensemble-in-residence at Florida International University in Miami, the Amernet will perform with special guest Heather Coltman, JMU Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. More

With a legendary career spanning several generations, Aretha Franklin possessed powerful vocals that skyrocketed her to international stardom. Musician, vocalist and composer Damien Sneed pays homage to the “Queen of Soul” with fresh takes on her hits like “Respect,” “Knew You Were Waiting,” “Think,” and more! The show features four-time Grammy Award winner Karen Clark Sheard backed by a stellar cast of jazz, soul and gospel musicians and vocalists. More

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The King’s Singers has represented the gold standard in a cappella singing on the world’s greatest stages for over 50 years. This class act with a delightfully British wit is unmatched for its “sheer musicality and ability to entertain.” (Times, London) More

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On the streets of Dublin, an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant are drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, an unexpected friendship and collaboration quickly evolves into a powerful love story. The winner of eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Once draws you in from the very first note and never lets go. Features students from JMU’s School of Theatre and Dance and School of Music. More

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An America’s Got Talent: Season 8 finalist, Catapult is the premier shadow dance company in the world and perfect entertainment for the entire family! Be transported to fantastical places and experience heartfelt, humorous stories created simply out of light and the human body. More

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Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Amsterdam-based Calefax Reed Quintet is acclaimed for its contemporary yet timeless interpretations of classical music. The Times of London has called the group, “five extremely gifted Dutch gents who almost made the reed quintet seem (like) the best musical format on the planet." More

Tom Crean (1877­–1938), an intrepid Antarctic explorer and one of Ireland’s unsung heroes, is brought to life in this critically-acclaimed solo performance by Aidan Dooley. Crean’s story is a testament of human fortitude against the elements of Antarctica, and Dooley’s “words create adventure that’s just as vivid as the special effects in a Hollywood bonanza.” (Variety) More

This annual concert will feature choreography and performances by selected JMU dance majors and artistic director Ryan Corriston, who will premiere a new work, as well as a guest artist piece. More

This special show commemorating the centennial of the birth of jazz giant Dave Brubeck features stories by the Brubeck brothers, video interviews with Dave Brubeck and musicians he influenced, as well as music by the Brubeck Brothers Quartet, “a wondrous combination of swing, melodic majesty, masterful arrangements and a truckload of truly inspirational solos.” (The Seattle Times)  More

Sunny, funny, and with more tra-la-las than any other operetta in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon, The Gondoliers combines all the right ingredients for a stunning show! In this flight of the satirical whimsy, brothers Marco and Guiseppe lead a charmed life as gondoliers in Venice until they discover that one of them is the King of Barataria. The two must travel to Barataria and rule the kingdom jointly until the truth can be determined. More

Learn how ancient and modern stringed instruments have played an integral role in the African and African American communities through folktales, stories and songs by Charlotte Blake Alston. Her “incredible presence and cleverness unifies audiences of all ages.” Renowned jazz violinist, composer and arranger Diane Monroe—whose orchestrations appear on the soundtrack recording for the film A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood—will illuminate Alston’s stories with her instrumental ingenuity in this performance perfect for the whole family! More

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Small Island Big Song (SIBS) is a multimedia musical spectacle reuniting the ancient seafaring cultures of the Pacific and Indian Oceans through song. Performing Oceanic grooves to soulful island ballads on traditional instruments and in native languages, artists from 10 nations come together for a live concert that combines music, spoken word and panoramic cinema to make a powerful statement about a region at the frontline of the climate crisis. More

Experience the JMU Symphony Orchestra as they accompany the 2021 and 2022 winners of the prestigious School of Music Concerto Competition. More